Quarterly CFANS awards roundup | Q2 2025

July 25, 2025
Ag Innovation
Interdisciplinary Science

In our quarterly celebration of award recipients across CFANS, we recognize students, faculty, and staff who've received significant accolades. Congratulations to all recipients — we're #CFANSProud of you! The list below highlights awards received and/or announced in April through June 2025.

College Awards

  • 2024-25 CFANS Collegiate Awards
    • CFANS Distinguished Teaching Award for Undergraduate Non-Tenured Faculty: Rielle Perttu, Department of Animal Science
    • CFANS Pioneering and Innovation Award: Andrew Howe, Department of Food Science and Nutrition
    • CFANS Graduate Assistant Teaching Award: Shunkei Kakimoto, Department of Applied Economics
    • CFANS Civil Service/Bargaining Unit Staff Award – Administrative Category: Patrick McDonald, CFANS Finance
    • CFANS Civil Service/Bargaining Unit Staff Award – Technical Category: Adrienne Hilbrands, West Central Research and Outreach Center
    • CFANS Professional and Academic Award – Other Professional Category: Molly Werner, Southwest Research and Outreach Center
    • Distinguished Extension and Outreach Award: Anna Cates, Department of Soil, Water, and Climate
    • Dean E. M. Freeman Award: Reagan Slinde, Department of Food Science and Nutrition
    • CFANS Inclusive Excellence Impact Award: Soil, Water, and Climate (SWAC) DEI Committee
  • BBE Distinguished Alumni Award: Bruce Johnson, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering
  • BBE Early Career Alumni Award: Patricia Popescu, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering
  • Career Champion Award: Morgan Bartlett, Student Engagement and Academic Operations (SEAO)
  • Best Research Paper for Impact and Quality Award: Mae Davenport (Department of Forest Resources professor) and Vanessa Perry (NRSM alumna) for their paper, "An inductive framework of self-efficacy to understand and support farmers in conservation agriculture."

University Awards

  • President's Community-Engaged Scholar Award: Jennifer Nicklay, Soil, Water, & Climate LAAS graduate student
  • 2025 Torske Klubben Fellowship: Maicy Vossen, Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics

Beyond the University

  • 2025 Sukup Global Food Security Award: Dr. P Kumar Mallikarjunan, Department of Food Science and Nutrition
  • Elizabeth Abernathy Hull Award: Randy Gage, Arboretum Manager of Youth Education
  • Minnesota Association of Agricultural Educators (MAAE) Presidential Award of Merit: Sarah Dornink, MAELC/AECM
  • 2025 Poultry Science Association Graduate Certificate of Excellence: Dhananjai Muringattu Prabhakaran, Department of Animal Science
  • National Championship - Impromptu Speaking - MANRRS Conference: Aina Perez, Office for Inclusive Excellence - MANRRS Chapter
  • The "Most Impactful Research Result" Award: WCROC Organic Dairy, West Central Research and Outreach Center - Expo West

To submit awards for inclusion in the next roundup, please complete this form and be sure to select the "Share an award recipient and corresponding award information" drop-down option. The next roundup will be published on our website in early January and will include awards received and/or announced in July through September 2025.